Christmas in Sweden Wikia
Christmas in Sweden "Jul" is the Swedish Christmas holiday. It is traditionally celebrated throughout December, notably starting on St. Lucia's Day. The main celebration is on Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas day. The holiday ends on St. Knut's Day in January. If you find one of the topics on this page interesting, clicking the respective links will take you another page to learn more! Saint Lucia's Day St. Lucia's Day (also known as St. Lucy's Day) is celebrated December 13th. In the old Julian Calendar, the Winter Solstice took place on December 13th, the shortest day of the year."St Lucy's Day." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 21 Nov. 2015. . So St. Lucia's feast is a festival about light, especially in Scandinavia where the winters are long and dark. St. Lucia's Day is celebrated in churches and homes across Sweden, there will be one girl dressed as St. Lucia, wearing a white robe, a red sash, and a crown of candles. The other girls who are not dressed as St. Lucia can still participate in the celebration, as they can be "tärnor" or assistants, wearing the same clothes, except without a crown of candles. Boys can also partake in this dressed as "Stjärngossar" or "Star Boys.""Christmas in Sweden." Christmas in Sweden. Web. 21 Nov. 2015. . Yule Goat The Yule goat is a Christmas symbol and tradition. Throughout the years, the Yule goat has changed. In the 17th century, and continued into the early 20th century in some places, it was depicted as a rowdy and scary creature demanding gifts. Other traditions regard the Yule goat as an invisible spirit that appears before Christmas to make sure that the preparations are done right."Yule Goat." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 21 Nov. 2015. . Straw goats are often used as decorations in homes, and on Christmas Trees; perhaps to guard the tree. Gävlebocken Gävlebocken, or Gävle Goat, is a giant version of the Yule Goat, that is a Christmas tradition and displayed every year in central Gävle. It has been a recurring target for vandalism and arson since it has first been raised in 1966."Gävla Goat." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 21 Nov. 2015. . Julbord The Julbord is probably one of the most important parts of Christmas in Sweden. The word "Julboard" consists of two parts, "Jul" which means "Yule" which is another word for Christmas; and the word "bord" which means "table." Think of it like a Christmas version of a smörgåsbord. Rather than eating this feast on Christmas Day, it is actually eaten on Christmas Eve. Traditionally, there are three courses, consisting of traditional foods, and family specialties."Celebrate the Season with IKEA Swedish 'Julbord' Buffet Extravaganza for Only $12.99 ($9.99 for IKEA FAMILY Members) - IKEA." IKEA US/EN. 14 Nov. 2012. Web. 21 Nov. 2015. . The first course usually consists of a variety of fishes, including pickled herring and lox. The second course includes cold sliced meats, like the Christmas ham. The third course includes warm dishes, like Swedish meatballs and roasted pork ribs. "Jul (Sweden)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 21 Nov. 2015. . Julotta Many Swedes who do not regularly go to church throughout the year, go to church for the Christmas Mass, late Christmas Eve or early Christmas morning. This Christmas service is called the Julotta. The word "Julotta" has two parts, "Jul" and "otta." The word "otta" means, "the time slightly before dawn." Traditionally, this Mass ended at dawn, or before dawn. After the Mass was over, there would be a race for everyone to get home, and the first one home is believed to harvest the most bountiful crops. Most churches now hold this Mass at 7AM, but some churches hold it as early as 4AM."Julotta in Sweden." Julotta in Sweden. Web. 21 Nov. 2015. . Saint Knut's Day St. Knut's Day is probably one of the least celebrated holidays in Sweden in recent years, but is the official end of the Christmas season. This is the day when the Christmas decorations are taken off the tree and the tree is literally thrown out, if it was not done so already.Reuterswärd, Kate. "St. Knut’s Day (Tjugondag Knut): The Most Confusing and Least-appreciated Swedish Holiday Ever." The Expat Blog Blogsswedense. 15 Jan. 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. . In the past, men and boys would dress up as "Old Knut," or like a scarecrow, or even a straw goat, and go around playing practical jokes on people and trying to scare them."Twelfth Night and Knut." Swedish King Knut's Day. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. . References Author of this Wikia Madelaine Struwe CU BOULDER For SCAN 2201 Latest activity Photos and videos are a great way to add visuals to your wiki. Find videos about your topic by exploring Wikia's Video Library. Category:Browse Category:Sweden Category:Christmas